Phase 3 — Feedback to students

Hattie’s (2003) meta-analysis of the effect size (ES) of influences on student achievement places feedback at the top with an ES of 1.13.
An ES of 0.6 or greater is usually considered to be ‘large’.

Timperley and Hattie (2007) further explored the influence of feedback. Noting that it is one of the most powerful influences on learning and achievement,
they point out that the impact of feedback can be positive or negative depending on the type of feedback, the timing and the
way it is given.

Dinham (2008) adds that bad feedback can be worse than no feedback. If feedback is to be effective it needs to be frequent, constructive
and instructive. It’s the quality of the feedback rather than its existence or absence that determines its power. (Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, & Chappuis, 2004)

Descriptive feedback is the most powerful tool for improving student learning. Feedback that focuses on what needs to be done
can encourage all to believe that they can improve (Black, Harrison, lee, & Wiliam, 2003). In summary, if feedback to students is to be effective, it needs to:

relate specifically to a learning intention/goal and the associated success criteria

be timely, that is, immediate or soon after action

reduce the discrepancy between desired and current understanding by answering three major questions:

Where am I going? (What are the goals?) – “feed up”

How am I going? (What progress is being made toward the goal?) – “feed back”

Where to next? (What activities need to be undertaken to make better progress?) – “feed up”.

support students to monitor their own progress and achievements.

Teachers can reflect on the quality of their feedback with these questions:

Do you give clear, concise feedback related to the learning goals?

Do you identify what was done well, and what needs improvement?

Does your feedback include how students can improve?

Are your students expected to act on your feedback?

Do you provide the necessary time for students to act on the feedback?

Informal check-ins can be used to see how students are progressing and usually occur during the learning. Whereas formal feedback
is often written or a combination of oral and written and usually occurs at the end of a task.

Knowing the students and their needs is paramount to effective feedback. Effective feedback leads to action.

Combine feedback and instruction

All the feedback in the world isn’t going to do much good if what they really need is instruction. Feedback can only build
on something; it is of little use when there is no initial learning. Feedback is what happens second (Hattie & Temperley, 2007).

Vince Lombardi (a famous American football coach): Practice doesn’t make perfect; practice makes permanent. Only perfect practice makes perfect. In classrooms it is important not to allow students to repeat a mistake or cement a misconception.

Ensure feedback requires the student to do the thinking

Feedback needs to be acted upon by the student. Overfeedbacking doesn’t deepen the learning if students don’t need to think or do anything for themselves.

Allow time to enact feedback

Ultimately, the only effective feedback is that which is acted upon, so that feedback should be more work for the recipient
than the donor. To demonstrate the importance of feedback, allocate time for feedback to be acted on.